Chapter 10 Learn Skills and Find a Way Out
When Aunt Liu saw Zhao Fei return, she immediately smiled and went up to him: "Feizi, you're back? Is everything alright at the factory tomorrow?"
Zhao Fei was still reeling from the shock of that glimpse and was somewhat dazed. He subconsciously replied, "Huh? Oh, tomorrow... I should be fine tomorrow."
Li Yugu quickly chimed in, "That's perfect. We're having guests over tomorrow, introduced by your Aunt Liu. Help them entertain them, don't just stay cooped up in the pig farm."
Zhao Fei then realized what Aunt Liu and his aunt were whispering about. Not wanting to offend his aunt in front of outsiders, he simply mumbled an "uh-huh".
As I pushed my bicycle toward the main house, I couldn't help but glance at that figure again out of the corner of my eye when I passed the kitchen.
That evening, Zhao Qingda surprisingly returned home and didn't spend the night outside.
When he entered the courtyard, Wen Xiaoxiao was sitting under the lamp in the main room, mending an old garment by the light, her newly permed curls curling gently around her neck.
When Zhao Qingda saw her, he paused for a moment, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by criticism.
"Oh, did the sun rise in the west? You've finally learned to dress up?" He said sarcastically, walking over and casually tossing her curly hair. "Who are you trying to impress with this? All flashy and frivolous."
Wen Xiaoxiao dodged his hand and didn't say anything.
Zhao Qingda found it boring: "The appearance has changed a bit, but it's a pity, the inside is still a block of wood, bland and tasteless." After saying that, he chuckled and turned to go wash up.
Her fingers, gripping the needle and thread, tightened suddenly, her fingertips turning white.
It turns out that in his eyes, no matter what she became, she was just a "boring" decoration.
The next day, around noon, Aunt Liu indeed arrived with a girl.
The girl's name was Sun Mei. She was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, petite, with delicate features and a soft voice. She seemed like the kind of well-behaved and sensible girl.
As soon as she entered the room, her eyes couldn't help but glance at Zhao Fei. She was clearly satisfied with his tall and sturdy build and his supposedly good family background, and a shy smile appeared on her face.
Li Yugu greeted them warmly, offering them melon seeds and candies. Zhao Fei, as the person being considered, had no choice but to sit in the main room, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
Sun Mei tried to start a conversation by asking about the pig farm and whether the pigs were usually busy.
Zhao Fei answered casually, his attitude polite but distant.
As they sat closer, Sun Mei suddenly frowned slightly and her nostrils twitched gently.
Zhao Fei had just returned from the pig farm. Although he had changed into clean clothes and washed his hands and face, the smell had seeped into his skin and couldn't be completely washed away in a short time.
For people with a sensitive sense of smell, the odor is indeed quite noticeable.
Sun Mei's smile faded slightly, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes.
She sat for a while longer, drank half a glass of water, and then excused herself, saying she had something to do at home.
Seeing this, Aunt Liu knew that the matter was probably over, so she laughed it off and saw the person off.
As soon as the person left, Li Yugu sighed: "This girl... probably thinks your profession is too strong."
Zhao Fei felt a sense of relief.
He had no such intention in the first place, and was even somewhat relieved that the smell had "driven the other person away."
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he was startled by his own idea.
"You bastard! Zhao Fei, you're a real piece of shit!"
He cursed himself inwardly.
"It's alright, Auntie. I wasn't planning on it anyway. Don't bother me anymore. I'm fine as I am."
After seeing Li Yugu off, Zhao Fei returned to his room and closed the door, but he couldn't contain his turbulent emotions.
He felt like a thief who was peeping at someone else's treasure, his mind filled with filth.
Yet that thrill felt so real.
In the other room, Wen Xiaoxiao was completely awakened by Zhao Qingda's cold water, which also ignited a fierce determination in her.
Relying on men?
Relying on this family?
It's all just a mirage!
She can no longer drift along aimlessly, waiting to be disliked and abandoned.
She had to stand up on her own, even if she could only stand a little bit steadily.
The next day, she changed into clean clothes, neatly braided her newly permed hair, and began to wander the streets, keeping an eye out for job postings.
A restaurant waitress? She's shy and might not be able to handle it.
Factory worker?
The schedule was tight, and she was far from home... Just as she was feeling lost, she walked up to a tailor shop on the street.
The shop is small, with a sign that reads "Shanghai Fashion" hanging at the entrance, and several mannequins wearing trendy dresses displayed in the glass window.
The sound of a sewing machine clicking could be heard from inside.
A red paper was pasted on the door: "Seeking a tailor, lunch provided, no experience required."
Wen Xiaoxiao stood at the door for a while. She remembered that she had been sewing and mending since she was a child, and her mother had praised her for her skillful hands when she was alive.
My heart suddenly settled.
She pushed the door open and went in.
The master craftsman, surnamed Hu, lifted his eyelids and sized her up: "Want to learn how to make clothes? Have you ever handled needles and thread before?"
"I can sew, and I can even do simple alterations," Wen Xiaoxiao answered honestly.
Master Hu let her try her hand at it, and gave her a scrap of fabric and some needle and thread.
Wen Xiaoxiao was a little nervous, and her stitches were not as fine and even as those of the experienced craftsman.
Master Hu looked at it and shook his head: "You're a bit rusty and lack a bit of flair. We're busy here, so we don't have much time to teach you slowly from scratch."
This is a polite way of saying no.
Wen Xiaoxiao's heart sank, but she didn't give up immediately.
She went again the next day, this time carrying two cans of fruit and a new scarf she had bought at the department store.
"Master Hu, I'm sorry to bother you. I... I really want to learn, I'm not afraid of hardship or fatigue. This is just a small token of my appreciation... for you to try."
Her face flushed red, but her voice remained firm.
Master Hu looked at the canned goods, then at the fine gauze scarf, and his expression softened.
"...Fine, seeing how sincere you are. Let's make this clear first: apprentices won't get paid, only lunch. They'll have to do all the basic work, like odd jobs, hemming, and ironing. They'll also have to be quick-witted and observant. Can you stick with it?"
"Yes!" Wen Xiaoxiao nodded immediately, her eyes lighting up.
And so, Wen Xiaoxiao became an apprentice at the "Shanghai Fashion" tailor shop.
At first, I was indeed clumsy and received a lot of scolding from Master Hu.
But she didn't say a word; she corrected her mistakes after being scolded and asked questions when she didn't understand.
Arriving earliest and leaving latest every day, sweeping the floor and wiping the tables, making tea for the master, and tidying up the edges of various fabrics in an orderly manner.
Gradually, Master Hu began to expose her to more complex processes, and occasionally gave her some pointers on cutting techniques.
Zhao Fei learned from Li Yugu's ramblings that Wen Xiaoxiao had gone to learn tailoring.
Li Yugu was initially reluctant, feeling that it was shameful to be an apprentice in public and that he wouldn't earn any money.
Zhao Fei remained silent for a while, then said to Li Yugu, "Auntie, Xiaoxiao... having something to do will make her feel better. Learning a skill is always a good thing."
One evening, Zhao Fei returned home a little early and happened to run into Wen Xiaoxiao, who was returning from work, at the entrance of the alley.
She was holding several pieces of practice fabric that Master Hu had given her.
"I heard... you went to learn tailoring?" Zhao Fei stopped his bicycle and asked.
Wen Xiaoxiao nodded: "Yes, it's with Master Hu."
"That's good." Zhao Fei looked at her and said very seriously, "Master Hu's skills are famous. If you learn from him well, you will definitely succeed in the future."
His tone was calm, like an older brother encouraging his younger sister, but there was an unnoticed love in his eyes as he looked at her.
These simple words, "It's good" and "Study hard," are like a warm spring, washing over the bitterness and caution of the past few days.
She never expected that Zhao Fei would be the first to give her a positive affirmation.
She lowered her head and softly hummed in agreement.
"Be careful on the road next time," Zhao Fei said, then got on his bike and rode off.
Wen Xiaoxiao watched his figure disappear at the end of the alley and hugged the fabric in her arms tightly.
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